He was a new adventurer in this world. He wasn’t particularly good at anything, a novice of sorts. He knew he needed to get stronger if he was to make anything of himself, so he set out to train. He stepped outside of Prontera’s gates in search of prey. Before long, he was able to kill porings, fabres, and lunatics without much trouble, and he noticed he didn’t feel much stronger after defeating them. Time to hunt better prey, he thought. As he searched around, he found a pupa. He began attacking it, and noticed it wasn’t fighting back. He swung at a couple more times, then noticed it begin to crack apart. A few seconds later, and a butterfly appeared and flew off. It wasn’t very brightly colored, but had more of a creamy tone.

“New prey!” he said to himself.

He followed the creamy butterfly as it flew around a bit, then struck as soon as he was close enough. The creamy immediately turned around and fought back. It was much stronger than he expected! He knew he wouldn’t last long in this encounter, so he did what any new adventurer would do… turn tail and run for the gates! He was getting close to Prontera, but the creamy was keeping pace. He tripped over a log and tumbled to the ground. With the creamy so close, all he could do is curl up and brace himself for the end.

“Is this really how it ends? Death by butterfly?” he said as he trembled with his eyes clenched shut.

SCHWING, SCHWING! was all he heard, then silence. He opened his eyes and immediately noticed the creamy laid in pieces in front of him.

“You can get up now,” a voice said.

He looked in the direction of the voice and saw a girl standing next to him, offering him a hand. As he took her hand and stood up, he took a good look at her. Sword and shield in hand, wearing a breastplate with a muffler overtop, and a stout skirt. She looked like she could handle anything. Her confidence and posture reinforced that look.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

“Yeah, I think so,” he replied. “Thanks for the help. I thought I was a goner.”

“You’re welcome. It is my duty to protect the weak.”

“Hey! I’m not weak!” he retorted, then remembered he almost met his end by a butterfly. “…Ok, maybe I am. So, are you some kind of swordman?”

With that, he followed her through Prontera fields and into the woods, fighting much stronger creatures that he ever imagined. She would hold their attention on her and weather their attacks with her shield raised, while he dispatched them, one by one. Before long, he felt he was ready to take the next step in his adventure.

“I think I’m done being a novice,” he said to his swordy friend.

“Oh? What would you like to be?”

“I don’t know. All I know is that I want to keep following you, if that’s alright.”

“I suppose so. Someone needs to rescue you from the butterflies, anyway,” she said with a laugh.

“Well, even with your help, I can tell I’m not the greatest in combat. Maybe it would be best if I just supported you.”

“I know just the place for that. To Prontera Church!”

The two traveled back to the city limits of Prontera, then to the church. The novice met with the clergy, who guided him on the path to righteousness. He was informed that in order to complete his training, he needed to embark on a pilgrimage and meet with one of the clerics out in the field. He set out, with his swordy friend at his side. After their return, he was fully ordained as an acolyte of God. He shed his new adventurer clothing and donned the robe he was given, which was more befitting to his new role.
The swordy and acolyte went on many adventures afterward, and their bond strengthened. They ventured into Payon cave, where she held the undead at bay, while he banished them with his healing magic. Later, they went into Payon forest and hunted wolves. He accidentally struck a wolf once, which attracted the ire of the nearby pack, but she was quick to provoke their attention towards her, saving him from harm.

As their adventures progressed, he felt more confident around her. He watched as her mastery with her sword increased, and noticed she could endure more punishment from their enemies. He gave everything he could to keep her strong. She began noticing that she felt stronger and more agile when he was near, and she didn’t believe that it was solely because of the supportive spells he was casting. She knew at that point that she wanted them to be together for the rest of their adventures, all the way to the gates of Valhalla.

The two ventured into their greatest challenge so far, the orcish village. It didn’t take long for the orcs to take notice of their presence, and they immediately came from every direction to defend their home. They didn’t just face the orcish warriors, either, but also the orcish ladies and even babies were attacking them. The couple had to sit and rest between waves of orcs, but they were able to hold their own. During a battle with one group of orcs, a horn blasted nearby, and an orc larger than the rest emerged from a hut. He wore a large plumed headdress, and carried a heavy sword and shield. The orcish hero immediately began running for the two adventurers. The acolyte knew that the swordy would be quickly overwhelmed if the orc hero engaged her along with the orcs she was already fighting.

“It’s my turn to protect you,” he shouted as he ran from behind her.

“No! You won’t survive!” she shouted back.

He ran towards the orc hero and gained his attention with a bright flash of holy light, then ran through the trees with the hero following closely behind. She couldn’t follow as she was already at the limit of her endurance. She eventually defeated the orcs fighting her with the aid of a couple potions. Then immediately ran in the direction she saw them go. After running for what seemed like an eternity, she came to a clearing. She heard no noise and no orcs were to be found. She peered into the clearing, and saw a crumpled heap of acolyte in the middle. She screamed and ran to him. He wasn’t breathing.

”No! You can’t die! We were supposed to go to Valhalla together!” She buried her face in his robe and began to sob.

After some time, she got up, still teary eyed. She took a couple steps away, then suddenly stopped, remembering something she had in her pouch. She remembered when they were in town before their trip out here, a merchant was trying to sell leaves out of his cart that he claimed were from the tree Yggdrasil itself.

“Never leave town without one!” the merchant said with a smile.

“Ok, ok, I’ll buy one,” she said, mainly just to shut him up so they could move on.

Now was the time to test the merchant’s claim. She pulled the leaf from her pouch and held it toward her fallen companion. She closed her eyes and began to pray.

“Please, please come back to me. It’s not your time, I know it!”

She felt the leaf disappear from her hands, so she opened her eyes. A pillar of light surrounded her companion and lifted him to his feet. She peered into the light and could almost make out the form of an angel, maybe? No! A valkyrie! As suddenly as it came, the light vanished, but the acolyte was standing, looking at her. She quickly embraced him and began crying again.

“Don’t ever do that again! I can’t lose you!” she said between sobs.

“I’m just glad you’re ok,” he replied, still weary from the previous events. After a moment of their embrace, he said to her, “Hey, I think I’ve had enough adventuring for now. Can we go home?”

“Yes. Let’s go home.”

The couple headed towards town, hand in hand, for some much needed rest. Their adventuring could wait for another day.

It was just him and his bag of merchandise, sitting alone near the fountain of Prontera, waiting for someone to buy his items. He waits patiently with his usual smile plastered on his innocent face. But I could see the gloom written within his face.

After hours of enduring the wait, he stands up and finally walks away with his gloominess. I was there all the time, hiding somewhere near the tool shop, watching his every move. I may sound like a creep, but what could I do? There’s something interesting about him that I could not but be bothered with.

As he walked a few steps away, he turned around and our eyes locked with each other. I did not miss the adoring smile he shot me with, I instantly look away with my face flushing red. I did not know what came over me, I stole a peek, expecting his stare. But soon, disappointment ran through me when he disappeared. What were you thinking, idiot?!

On the next day, same time , same place. I was passing by the tool shop and it happened that he was not there. I wondered. What could have happened to him? I started to miss him, his smile. At this moment, I started to realized, what actually have gotten into me? Why does his absence grieves me? These questions meandering in my thoughts. I wander around, hunting some innocuous monsters in Payon forest. It's getting monotonous with the usual routine, with my decent sword I bought from the weapon dealer, these mobs are cake. So I decided to move to another challenging situation.

Soon after, I was drained and lacking of potions , I was in the middle of nowhere, I got lost. Clueless, I can't find anyone passing by around. I need help. I can't move with energy this low. I regret for not being cautious. I kept believing I was going to be all right. Until I was met by the darkness. Pitch dark.

Something flows through my throat, it was tasteless yet minty, it tastes like Orange Potion. I woke up, with the blur sightness, I saw someone sitting beside and staring at me, shadowy. It turns out , it was the guy, the merchant who I find interesting. I numbed. I felt as if it was a delusion. We stare on each other and he smiled. I never saw something as beautiful as his eyes and as calm as his smile.

"Are you okay?" He asks calmingly.

I silenced, I was speechless, at least for a few seconds.

"Ye-e-es, I am fi-ine, th-a-ank you " I stuttered.

He showed me the way back, and brought me home. While we're on the way, we talk and we got to know each other. He just could not stop smiling, my heart beats so fast. Everytime I see him, I swear I could have just pass out.

We both made a promise, to see each other again, somewhere.

Our promise did came true, we met each other again near the Prontera fountain, while he was vending. We both laugh and made jokes about each other. The fun part, I helped him vend, it was funny to see a Sword-woman like me vend, and I even taught him battle moves. We shared a deep togetherness. This goes on everyday and everyday. I realized, it was actually love after all. Nothing else. It's called, love.

Until someday, it was different, he brought me somewhere, it was beautiful, naturistic, no other words to describe it's uniqueness, a place called Umbala Village. Under the enormous big tree, he stands and stared me. Only God knows how fast my heart beats.

"I love you.", he pronounced.

I astounded. It was a moment of joy but at the same time I felt staggered. Coming from someone who I have been like for quite really a long time. I silenced for about a minute. What should I respond?

"I love you too.", I hugged him as soon as I spoke.

We both smiled and cried.

"I love you since the first day I saw you, you already locked my heart with your eyes and your presence in my life completely shines my whole world and I won't be alone anymore and gloom after.", he said happily.

Nothing can describe how I felt at that time. Nothing. I hug him tight, very tightly.

Love is not about how many days, weeks or months you've been together, it's all about how much you love each other every single day. Our ever-lasting love can light up the whole world. Or, should I call it a Pup's love?.

I made this art thinking of what a Kobold would look like if he lived in a city and would commemorate dog year. I though of one calm, somewhat happy and holding a characteristic lamp from the chinese big events. It's a pretty simple artwork, but had fun making it ^^

"This sure was a tiring day. Helping Mr. Jeanbai today is strangely harder than the other day before. I drained too much magic for today…

I will just rest when I arrived home later.. I wonder if Wizards have better ability to handle this much magic.. and even more with the Storm Gustsand Meteor Storm..? or should I just be Sage later like what my parents told me to do.. but I hate studying oh my god.. "

"MOVE !! OUT OF MY WAY !! EXCUSE ME!!"

"Hmm.. where's my house key I'm sure I put it in this bag.. ah! here it is.. I can't wait to snuggle in my warm fuzzy bed before helping Mr. Jeanbai again tomorrow...”

"GIRL, LET ME HIDE IN YOUR HOUSE ! DON'T ASK WHY JUST OPEN THE DOOR"

"W..What who are you?!! HELP!! Frost Driver..!!!"

"gosh.. this can't be helped Back Slide!!"

A thief grabbed Mars and eventually got into her house before she can even finish her magic spell. What is happening?

"WHO ARE YOU REALLY INTRUDING SOMEONE HOUSE LIKE THIS??!! I won't let you steal anything from my grandparents house! I'm calling the kafra guards!" Mars yelled

"Yo.. Relax.. I just stole a Genetic zeny few blocks from here, I just need a place to hide or else they will get me and burn me alive! .. You want some of the zeny?" Jeffrey responded while panting.

"A THIEF !! HELLO HELP ME !!" Mars scream even more

He pulled out a dagger and threaten her

"C..Ca..Can you just go already.. I already helped you hide from people who chased you just don't kill me please.." Mars stutter when she is also about to cry

"If only you stay still from the first place I wouldn't do this.. “

She looked at the dagger that is 1 cm away from her throat. The dagger looked sharp and shines as it has been sharpen recently. But delicious and appetizing smell came into the room..

"Woah what is this smell ? must be something delicious!” he asked in curiousity

He quickly discover the dining room, where the dining table already prepared with food she made the in the morning before she left to help Mr. Jeanbai. Looking back to her, she still shocked about what almost killed her.

“Eh.. I’m so sorry.. I had to do that since you could put my life in danger as well.. so I just put you into my shoes for a moment.. I didn’t mean to kill you anyway..”

She started crying and he feel bad even more

“Don’t cry !! No please!! You will make me cry too.. I really didn’t mean to do bad things to you!! Uh.. Let me make it up for you.. We eat this dinner and I will clean up everything, I bet you’re tired and hungry too right? Let’s eat I’m hungry to death!”

They are having dinner together

“So.. what do you do for living?” He asked

“I help Mr.Jeanbai in Aldebaran … He’s a friend of my father.. Mr. Jeanbai said he can promote me to my next class instructor whichever Magician way I choose later..” *sobs*

“Aha.. I see. So what class you’re going to be later?”

“Before answering that I suppose you need to introduce yourself first..?” She answered sarcastically while taking a spoonful of rice

“Oh..! Right.. Sorry about that my name is Jeffrey . I’m just a thief. Nothing special, hahaha. I just steal and run around here and there. But later I will be the most respected Rogue in this block! You’ll see! Hahaha! … ha… ha…”

“Pfft..” Mars giggled

“H..Hey don’t laugh! I promise you I will be the best Rogue! And a good Rogue.. I will have my own people and tell them to help the novice from bad rogues that bully them!” shy Jeffrey responded

“Ooh.. such a good will huh? It’s rare to see a good Thief these days.. One thief was kind enough to help me pick up my staff that I dropped. I wonder why he didn’t take that and run away?”

After a long talk , Mars learned that Jeffrey have good personalities and a reliable person that willing to protect anyone he love, just like what she see think a dreamy and ideal man is. Jeffrey also learned that Mars is a person that is pure and naïve, and care for the one she love. He fell in love when he hold her really close on knifepoint. Mars also could hear Jeffrey’s heartbeat racing on the same time.

They had a good talk, jokes and eventually be friend, they even have a lot of things in common. He helped with all the dishes and it’s getting late. It’s time for him to leave the house.

“Mars, it was a good chance to meet you today.. You have a good night and rest before helping Mr.Jeanbai again tomorrow”

“It’s getting late Jeffrey.. you… should go back to where you from as well..”

“I wish I would see you around again.. Goodbye for now” Jeffrey bowed and left. Mars had her door open , still watching Jeffrey's back getting further away and Jeffrey looked back to Mars and waved her with an expression that he look like don’t wanna leave just yet.

It was a weird way for them to meet but both of them wished the day is longer so they have more time together. They wished they meet way earlier. But one thing they didn’t wish, a more romantic way to meet each other. Puppy love is what they say an intense but relatively shallow romantic attachment, typically associated with adolescents, but often in a wrong timing or short time. But what matters is if you grew up together with the puppy love you started, evolving into a better knowledge and personality as an adult, feeling the same intense romantic moments as if it’s your first time.

HELLO! Here is my entry Hatii has always been my favorite monster from RO ever since I can remember.. I have always wanted to try needlepaint but I never had the time - finally I tried it for this contest and it was really fun! Thanks for hosting Dawnte

I have hidden several posts in this thread. Just as a note restrictions on the Creative Contraptions section have been in place for at least a year at this point and it is not okay to post on behalf of others to bypass these restrictions.

Even though the posts are made with the best of intentions we need to enforce the restrictions or we might as well not have them at all.

It was a fine summer’s day and I was bored. I was dozing off in class, so I excused myself and took a walk around the academy training grounds. The birds were chirping, the insects buzzing and the sun was blazing. I picked a tree that I thought would provide ample shade and lay down to try and take a nap. That is when I saw her, whacking little porings. She had her face screwed up in concentration as she diligently whacked away at the little creatures. I watched on in amusement. We’ve known each other for as long as I can remember, and she’s my best friend.

“Someone’s training hard!” I called out. She looked up in surprise. She spotted me waving to her from under the tree.

“Someone’s ditching class again!” she called back angrily. She stomped her way over, smacked me on the back of my head, and sat down.

“Hey James.”

“Hey Steph.” I said, nursing the spot on the back of my head.

“So, have you decided what job you’ll take after graduation?” she asked.

“I don’t know. I want to do something that lets me get out of this small town.” I replied.

“Yeah, you really don’t like being in one place.” She stared at me with a thoughtful look on her face. She pulled a packed lunch out of her backpack and started eating quietly.

Graduation was in three days; it was fast approaching. She didn’t know my plans. I made up my mind to leave the day after, and I couldn’t bring myself to tell her about it. I wanted to see the world; to explore and see all the amazing things from faraway places. I couldn’t see myself staying in town forever. The thought of it made me restless.

The three days passed in a blur, and soon it was graduation day. I made my way to the archer classroom and talked to the Archer guild representative. He made me an archer after I told him of my ambitions. As I was exiting the classroom, she was waiting for me by the door.

“Congratulations on becoming an archer. Here, I have something for you; a graduation gift.” She held a box out in her hand. I took it and saw her face blush.

“Steph, I’m leaving tomorrow.” I finally told her. She looked at me in shock, turned around and walked away. This is not how I wanted things to go.

I wandered the streets of Izlude, thinking about the journey I was about to embark on. I loved her, she’s been with me ever since we were young. I knew I was leaving her behind, but I couldn’t stay in town. I wanted to be free, and I knew she wouldn’t leave with me.

The sun painted the town a beautiful golden colour as it started setting. I finally started making my way home. I would miss this town for sure, the port, the sea breeze, the small fields. It’s a peaceful and quaint little town, but no place for a spirit like mine.

I arrived home, and started packing. A sense of excitement rushed through me as I looked for the essentials I’ll be needing on my journey. The box Stephanie gave me was sitting on my desk. I opened it, and inside was an egg. I searched around for a pet incubator, found one and used it on the egg. The most beautiful golden desert pup popped out and stared back at me. She knew me well; I absolutely adored dogs. I took him in my hands and he licked my face. I decided to name him Mowgli, from a movie we watched the other day.

I woke up the next day, before dawn. It was still dark as I got dressed and double checked what I packed. The sun was already starting to envelop the town in its light when I opened the front door. I made my way past the stores, the park, all the way to the edge of town. As I reached the edge, I heard a voice calling to me. She was running towards me. I stopped and made my way to her.

“James! Wait! I just wanted you to know that I’m sorry for leaving yesterday, and that I support your dream. I wish you the best and that you find happiness on your journey.” She gave me a kiss on the cheek, said goodbye and walked away.

I smiled and walked outside. This was the start of my journey, a sense of excitement crept up the back of my spine. I knew I was leaving her behind, but she understands me. This wasn't goodbye, I know one day I'll get to see her again. My first love.